The weekend’s latest batch of Premier League fixtures have once again invited controversy in the department of officiating with both Manchester City and Liverpool’s respective games featuring questionable moments.
Speaking to Empire of the Kop, Keith Hackett highlighted two points during Liverpool’s tie with Tottenham where the official, Paul Tierney, had gone wrong.
“Sadly, the focus is on the question of why Harry Kane was not red carded,” the former PGMOL chief said.
“Well, the challenge was reckless with excessive force and it endangered Harry Kane’s opponent. He made the challenge off the ground and one foot forward.
“Tierney in defence of his decision to issue a yellow card can only be put down to the fact that his vision was impaired with Kane’s body covering what the viewers were able to see on replays.
“Incompetence from the VAR who did not see or determine that the yellow card issued to Kane was a clear and obvious error.
“Tierney later in the game was close at hand when Liverpool’s Andy Robertson kicked out at his opponent.
“Here it was difficult to understand why Tierney’s judgment determined wrongly that he would issue a yellow card. It was a red card offence and thankfully corrected by VAR when Tierney was advised to take another look at the pitchside monitor.”
Though one can certainly be lenient in the critique of the Englishman due to an obstructed view of the national skipper’s challenge, VAR’s selective involvement throughout the game is deserving of a very different treatment.
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Jurgen Klopp was baffled at various points in the clash, going as far as directly expressing his disappointment to the official on two separate occasions.
The German’s outbursts will inevitably warrant some review from the governing body, with a punishment of some sort likely to be dished out.
However, it remains to be seen whether any form of public and clear accountability will be on offer following a poor performance from both the operators at Stockley Park and the on-pitch referee.